The barbed wire called Religion

Religion. An ambiguous area of practice which has been misconstrued by the west and the east alike. Today, religion, much like a barbed wire, ends up causing people injury or discomfort, if they try to either pass through it or make an attempt to change it with new practices. Much like a barbed wire, religion is symbolic of the old practices, attached with significant moments of history, yet for most people, it only acts as a symbolic of division. Much like this wire, who’s prime aim must be to secure its people from external threats, religion as well, was supposed to protect man, from wrongdoings, from external threats of fanaticism and irrational extremism.

But, the most irrational mistake that we ought to be guilty of making is, attributing the misdeeds of humans as the teachings of religion in the contemporary scenario. On trying to answer the said question, of who’s is more petrifying, Kim Jong Un, Donald Trump, Indian Lawmakers or Religion, the question must have been partially answered by the above metaphor.

It must be noted that, Kim Jong-un , Donal Trump and Indian lawmakers are human and hence mortal. They’ll vanish away with time, sadly religion is a way of life, its there and only becoming dynamic with time. Its static yet changing its course. Its that river which is about to die, its crying for help, but what we are doing is, trying to revive it using foreign methods which aren’t suitable to replenish it. Religion is immortal and perennial.

It is rather fascinating, that how half the people who talk about religion, are unaware of the scriptures of their own religion and have never read them. And its also sad and worrisome that, in the contemporary scene, when we mention religion, the first thing that comes in our mind is Islam and second, terrorism. Associating a fanatic activity, with a religion, just because, ‘people in authority’ feel so, is an indirect act of conformity to the authority’s viewpoint.

Amazingly enough, the world today is at war in the name of something that it can’t even define. Its being used to sanction force, its being use to legitimise mass killing, it is being used to camouflage and act of murder in the world’s largest secular socialist democratic republic as an accident.

Amidst an atmosphere of power struggle, superiority and hegemonic tendencies of a few nations, the world is in search of peace, but with the use of force. Its an outrage to see an an act of peacemaking with oneself being used as a weapon for achievement of self-satisfying motives.

From Al Quada to ISIS today, politicisation of religion behind the veil of exterminating terrorism has been a long tradition in the sphere of international politics.

No religion in this world is crystal clear, it is how we choose to perceive it that matters the most, and in case of Islam, the perception has inadvertently, never been too optimistic. In fact, the nefarious nexus of misunderstood forces have increasingly led to what is called- Islamophobia. Its interesting how we choose to view a religion only from one side of a prism, and never make an effort to see the light and the colours that the other side has in store for us.

However, it is also wrong to presume that this disturbing terminology is a mere western ideal. With the Indian soil painted in saffron these days and people being attacked of their eating habits, its a given that India is no less affected by Islamophobia. Probably the most talked about religion in the world, but never in the right tone, Islam’s underestimated understanding is partially because of our ignorance and rest because of the media’s projection. Its sad how the actions of a few representatives of a said religion bring badmouthing to it. We should, as rational individuals, bear in mind that no religion perpetrates terror, failure to understand it does. We are divided by boundaries, but we should be united by religion, the religion of humanity.